Heya, Just trying to actually get competetive with PA, and I was wondering, what is the current meta with laser towers? Is a laser towers supposed to be able to match a mass-equivalent number of units? Are they just there to slightly tip the balance in you favor if you and your opponent have a similar number of units? As a user, it's quite confusing trying to figure out where defenses fit in in this offense-heavy game.
I use laser defenses behind walls and next to metal extractors to prevent a single annoying dox from taking down a mex. (That has to be the most rage inducing thing. It is for me, at least) They're basically a waste of resources otherwise. Single barrel towers are good for picking off dox, the double and triple are good for high HP units.
So you basically only build them as a metal buffer when you can't afford an extra factory but want to produce something that adds to your defense?
Well yeah pretty much. They're insurance for resources; build them to protect the things which make it possible to build other stuff. Still though, they are great to defend against small-huge armies. Walls are needed for that though.
It largely depends on the map, as there are many map specific chokepoints and weakpoints, although i think there are some simple rules you can follow. - Try not to build turrets in the early game untill you start pushing out Although if you feel you have to (e.g. protect exposed area from bomberts) there's no shame in it. Risk reward. - Build turrets in clusters of mex outside your base that you are going to have trouble getting to defend. The cost of building them is better than the cost of having those mex constantly getting raided by dox. If they keep dying, you'll have to keep spending time sending fabbers out there. - Use turrets and walls as a force multiplier, allowing you to move more defensive mobile units into an attacking position instead. Also use them to make attacking into areas cost inefficient for the enemy. So they might be able to break through, but it will cost them more than it cost you to build the turret.
Thanks for all the replies, folks. I'm going to have to consider all the feedback, especially: I guess that's the issue I generally have with stationary defense: Where do I place it so that it's actually useful and not just a waste? I'll play around and figure it out.
If you build a laser tower and it hasn't racked up a bunch of kills within the first minute, then you've done something wrong. You shouldn't be building them 'just incase' because somebody could easily just build a pelter just outside of range and you will have no army with the ability to attack it. I have mostly found them useful when fighting commander on commander in the early game, or when you're being attacked by a large army and you would die if you didn't build some more defences.
